Liverpool v
Sunderland

Minute by minute

We'll be back updating live from Anfield on Sunday when the Reds play host to Tottenham Hotspur in another crucial fixture

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That's all from our live coverage from Anfield on a night when Liverpool extended their winning run to seven matches to go second in the table

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Rodgers: "I felt in the second part of the season, we would become stronger because of the nature of our game; the nature of our game is to get on the ball, to play, to pass and to move. Tonight, there were long spells where we were very good at that. As the season goes on, we'll embrace that pressure and enjoy it."

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Rodgers: "I think the whole perception of Liverpool is that we're going to get three, four, five or six goals every game, which is wonderful, but we knew this was a game we were going to have to be patient in and show calmness. To get the win, and seven wins on the spin now at this level in the Barclays Premier League, is a huge credit to the players and also to the supporters tonight."

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Brendan Rodgers: "It was a game in which we were the dominant team, but no matter how dominant you are when it gets to 2-1 it's always going to be tight for the last 10 minutes or so."

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Gerrard: "I don't usually get a go at free-kicks! Luis Suarez has been magnificent from set-pieces so I leave them to him but sometimes the keeper expects him to take it so you take another option. It doesn't matter who gets the goals, we all deserve credit because we are in fantastic position but we haven't won anything yet."

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Steven Gerrard: "You have to give credit to Sunderland, they have come to make it difficult for us. They were difficult to break down. We need to learn that when we go two goals ahead we can't concede. We need to hold on and pass it better."

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Liverpool are one point behind first-place Chelsea and two ahead of Manchester City, though they have two games in hand

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87.6 per cent of those passes found their man

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They enjoyed 61.1 per cent of the possession and made 588 passes

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Liverpool had 21 shots on goal tonight, seven of which were on target

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Liverpool see off a nervy finale to hold on to secure three priceless points with their seventh consecutive league win. It takes them back into second in the Barclays Premier League table

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FULL-TIME

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Three minutes of added time to be played

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Hearts in mouths time for Liverpool as Johnson's free-kick flashes right across the face of goal after O'Shea got a touch

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Johnson concedes a free-kick in a dangerous position for a foul on Colback

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Altidore's cross is headed away by Gerrard

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Danger for Liverpool as Bardsley's cross deflects across the box, but it goes out for a throw on the far side

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Substitution: Jack Colback for Andrea Dossena:

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Suarez hits the free-kick, but it's just over

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Suarez is fouled 20 yards from goal...free-kick

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Suarez tries a 20-yard chip...easy for Mannone

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Sunderland reduce the arrears as Sung-Yueng stoops to head in a corner at the back post unmarked

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GOAL! Ki Sung-Yueng:

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Sung-Yeung's shot is deflected over by Agger's flying block

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Now it's Liverpool's turn to hit the bar as Sturridge smacks a first-time shot from the edge of the box against the frame of the goal

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Cattermole rattles the crossbar with a half-volley from just inside the box after collecting Johnson's knock-down

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Coutinho drives one from the edge of the box...into the arms of Mannone

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Coutinho's corner finds the head of Sturridge, but Mannone is able to take

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Almost a sublime goal as Suarez flicks a pass back into the path of Coutinho's dart into the box. The Brazilian tries to dink it over Mannone, but the 'keeper collects

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Johnson's lift over the Reds defence tries to find Sung-Yeung's run, but it bounces out for a goal-kick

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Vergini tries to clear Johnson's cross and it goes dangerously close to his own goal before looping over

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Substitution: Ki Sung-Yueng for Connor Wickham:

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Substitution: Adam Johnson for Emanuele Giaccherini:

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Johnson delivers a dangerous low centre that just evades Sturridge and Suarez. Mannone claims at the second attempt

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Sublime touch from Suarez takes him away from Vergini and into the box, but he curls over the bar

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Incredible moment at Anfield as Flanagan's cut-back finds Sturridge, who shoots first time. The ball seems destined for the back of the net, until it strikes Suarez, who in turns tries to back-heel it over the line but Mannone saves

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Altidore shoots from range but it's easy for Mignolet

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That's Sturridge's 20th league goal of the campaign

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Sturridge's shot from just inside the box deflects off Brown and nestles in the back of the Kop end goal

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GOAL! Daniel Sturridge:

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Ball breaks invitingly for Suarez in the box, but he curls well over

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SECOND HALF: Liverpool re-start the game at Anfield

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HALF-TIME

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Gerrard's delivery is headed away by Wickham

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Another late tackle by Vergini on Suarez...this time on the left of the box

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A succession of Sunderland corners are dealt with by Liverpool

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Wickham shoots from the edge of the box...deflects off Skrtel...Mignolet gets down well to make a stop

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First Booking: Phil Bardsley:

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Get in there, skipper! Stevie G fires the free-kick into the top corner!

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GOAL! Steven Gerrard:

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This is right on the edge of the 'D'...

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First Booking: Santiago Vergini:

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Vergini brings down Suarez on the edge of the box after he got away. Free-kick to Liverpool and a yellow card for the Sunderland man

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Suarez runs half the length of the pitch before cutting inside on his left foot and shooting. He's off target, however

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Gerrard crosses...away by Vergini

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Coutinho tries to play Henderson into space in the box, but Mannone is off his line quickly to smother

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Allen saunters into space on the edge of the box, but drives over

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Johnson surges down the right but skews his attempted centre over the bar

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Bardsley's cross from the right is headed away by Agger

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Suarez's outside-of-the-foot cross to the back post is just too high for Sturridge's head

TEAM NEWS: Brendan Rodgers has named an unchanged line-up for the clash with Sunderland.

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You’ll find out who the Northern Irishman has selected to face Sunderland at 7pm GMT; check the Liverpoolfc.com homepage and all of the Reds’ social media platforms for the confirmed team news directly from the home dressing room.

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At his pre-match press conference on Monday, the boss reported no fresh injury concerns as his team navigate three testing fixtures in a week – with Tottenham Hotspur still to come on Sunday.

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Daniel Sturridge, meanwhile, is aiming to match his prolific partner by reaching 20 goals for this Premier League season – the No.15, who is second in the division’s scoring charts, needs one more to do so.

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Luis Suarez could set a new club record if he scores this evening; after notching a hat-trick against Cardiff City last weekend, the Uruguayan levelled with Robbie Fowler on 28 strikes in a single campaign.

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The on-loan Italian forward cannot play against his parent club this evening, but will be in attendance to watch the game. Check the Liverpoolfc.com homepage for an exclusive chat with Borini now.

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He commented: “He's tended to go 4-3-3, with wingers who like to cut inside, and play a possession-based game with a couple of deeper-lying midfielders. Obviously Fabio Borini is ineligible, so it'll be interesting to see who comes in.”

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To get the lowdown on the Black Cats, we asked Sunderland supporter James Hunt for the view from the Stadium of Light, and he shed light on how Gus Poyet is likely to line up his team in L4.

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Make sure to follow Liverpool’s official social media channels – including Facebook, Google+, Instagram and Twitter – before, during and after the match for further updates and exclusive images.

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You can have your say on how the game unfolds by getting involved in our post-match phone-in programme too; simply call 0845 234 4567, email lfctv@liverpoolfc.com, text 60070 starting your message with the word 'LFC' or tweet @LFC.

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Build-up to the clash begins on the club’s official television channel, LFC TV, from 7pm, with pre-match interviews and analysis from the Reds’ home ground ahead of kick-off.

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“We'll need to make sure we're right at it from the start, get the crowd with us and play with a lot of energy and tempo,” the No.14 added. “High tempo is the key, I think, and I'm sure if we do that we can get the win.”

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He said: “I've been at Liverpool for a few years now and I feel like it is sort of like home for me, so it doesn't really matter who me or the team play against - I just want to win every game.”

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Jordan Henderson represented tonight’s opponents before sealing a switch to the Reds in 2011 and the midfielder sat down for an exclusive interview with Liverpoolfc.com before facing his old club.

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Stay right here, without having to refresh the page, to follow every kick of the encounter with minute-by-minute text updates directly from the stadium, live audio commentary, in-play Opta statistics and much more.

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Brendan Rodgers’ side are searching for a seventh consecutive victory and would close the gap to current leaders Chelsea to a single point if they can overcome the Black Cats on home soil.

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Welcome to the Liverpoolfc.com match centre as the Reds return to Anfield for the first time in 31 days for a Barclays Premier League clash with Sunderland, which kicks off at 8pm GMT.